The Forgotten 10 Billion Lives: A Tale of Suffering, Survival, and the Fight to See Farmed Animals

In 2012, 50,000 hens were abandoned at an egg farm in Turlock, California. Trapped in small cages their entire lives, they never got to feel the sun or spread their wings. After two weeks without food or water, most died. Only 4,460 were rescued. This tragedy inspired the photo project Censored Landscapes, which aims to show the hidden suffering of animals in factory farms.

The project connects animal cruelty to larger issues like environmental damage, worker abuse, and racism. Farm animals are treated as property, not living beings. Even though animals like chickens, cows, and fish feel pain, protect their young, and have emotions, they are denied basic rights. Many laws protect corporations but not animals. In fact, some states have made it illegal to photograph inside factory farms.

Censored Landscapes includes both photos and stories of individual animals to show their lives matter. It also includes numbers showing how many animals suffer in each place. The facts are disturbing: over 9 billion chickens are killed every year in the U.S., often in terrible ways. Many are boiled alive or killed while still conscious. The industry also harms people—especially immigrants and people of color—who work in unsafe, low-paying jobs.

The project doesn’t aim to shock with violence but to inspire change by showing the dignity of animals. The artist hopes people will think about their choices and support a world that values all life. Eating more plant-based foods could help our health, reduce climate change, and end a lot of suffering.

The message is clear: we can’t solve environmental or social problems without caring for animals, too. Change begins with awareness—and sometimes, a single photo can spark it.

Read the full article “The Forgotten 10 Billion Lives: A Tale of Suffering, Survival, and the Fight to See Farmed Animals” by Isabella La Rocca González

🔭   This summary was human-edited with AI-assist.